Clutch-operating mechanism.



G. P. WERN.

CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR 29. 1913.

1 1 Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

CLUTCH EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE M.

APPLICATION ED APR- 29| 1913. l,1%3,.3@ Patented June 22, 1915.

2 EEEEEEEEEEEE 2- GUSTAV PERS WERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLUTCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

insects.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 19115.,

Application filed April 29, 1913. Serial No. 764,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv PERs WERN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch- Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is, first, to produce a self-supporting attachment for bringing together or releasing the members of a clutch, which attachment shall be practically independent of and will not unduly affect nor be affected by the rotation of the shaft upon which the clutch is mounted.

A second object is to provide a powerful, quick acting means operating with a mini mum of actuating power to apply the clutch gradually and positively or to bring about its release in a similarly advantageous manner.

With these and like objects in view, the invention consists of the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated, as to their preferred form, in the accompanying drawing, wherein like parts in the several views have been given the same reference numeral.

Figure 1 is an end elevation showing the clutch operating mechanism partly in transverse section on the line AA of Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 with some parts in section. Fig. 3 is a disassembled perspective view of parts of the mechanism.

The reference numeral 1 designates a rotary shaft, such as employed in connection with hoisting engines. This passes through a drum 2, which is loosely mounted thereon in the usual manner and part of which only is shown in section on the left hand side of Fig. 2. Suitable bearings and supports (not shown) at or near both ends of the shaft, are further provided therefor as of ordinary constructions. A support 3 is bolted, or otherwise rigidly secured, to one of said shaftsupports, a short distance from the drum 2, opposite the end thereof which is remote from the clutch. The clutch has not been illustrated in the drawing hereto annexed but is fully described and claimed in a concurrent patent application Serial No. 764:,369 filed Apr. 29, 1913, the present invention being solely concerned with its controlling mechanism which is applicable to other forms of clutches as well. Resting on the said support 3 is a bearing block 4, of rectangular outline, divided in halves indicated by 4L and 4:, loosely fitted around the rotary shaft and meeting preferably on a vertical line passing centrally therethrongh as shown. The halves of the block are held together above and below the shaft by means of bolts 5 and 5 and a pin 6. Thus mounted, the bearing block causes no strain nor friction on the shaft, and it is further allowed a slight longitudinal movement thereon, and also on the support 3 thereunder.

The space intervening between the block 4 and the drum 2 on the left, as seen in Fig. 2, is taken up by a collar 7 and interlocking washers 8 and 9. On the right, the block is likewise spaced from the pedestal by a washer 10, which may be formed integral with the support 3. The collar 7 is made in halves 7 and 7 bolted together at top and bottom similarly to the bearing block, and it is rabbeted or centrally depressed as at 11, to receive an offset portion 12 of the adjacent washer 8, which latter is rabbeted or depressed in a same manner at 13, to afford a recess wherein to lodge an off-set portion let of the washer 9 adjoining the drum 2. As will be observed, the edge 15 of the washer 9 is turned inward, that is, away from the drum and over the edge of the washer 8. The interlocking of these washers not only insures a good fit and cooperation of the contacting parts, but also permits them to be made in sections, which are easily applied and readily replaced when worn, without dismantling the mechanism. A pair of yokes or levers 16 and 17 are provided to put the drum 2- in engagement with the clutch by sliding it away from the afore said bearing block f and pedestal 3, through the medium of the collar 7 and washers 8, 9 and 10 interposed therebctween. The yoke ends or lever forks are placed on either side of the bearing block and brought down to the base thereof, where they are curved toward one another and all connected together and to the said base by means of the before-mentioned pin 6, which constitutes a pivot or hinge pin for the said levers. The base of the block, it will be noticed, is round ed underneath, as at 18, thereby facilitating the adjustment on the support 3 of the block and the yokes or levers which it carries. The lever ends are also curved outward, at

19 and 20 respectively, to enable .them to reach the more quickly and efiectively the adjacent faces of the collar 7 and Washer 10, against which they are'designed to press in opposite directions. They are flattened, be-

sides, for the greater part of their length,

the stems 24, 25,.of the said yokes or levers.

The body portion of each bushing is squared, and likewise the opening which receives it, in order to prevent the rotation thereof while the screw 21 is bein turned one way or the other. Flanges 26, 2 formed at both ends of each bushing, further prevent the same from slipping out of the opening wherein it is seated. The screw is turned through the agency of a handle 28, consisting of a bar with an enlarged end slitted as at 29, Fig. 1, and further apertured directly in rear of the slit to surround and grasp a circular protuberance 30 formed on or secured to the said screw, at or near its middle portion. A bolt 31, passing through the slitted part of the said enlarged end of the handle, is used to set the latter in the position it should occupy, and cause it to maintain a firm grip on the protuberance 30.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as novel therein, and desire to protect-by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of afixed support, a clutch member loosely mounted on said shaft at a predetermined distance from said support, a bearing block resting on the supportand fitting around the shaft, actuating means on said bearing block designed to press oppositely against said support and said clutch member, and an interposed device including interlocked washers adapted to take up the direct pressure of said actuating means.

2. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a bearing block sustained from a support thereof,

' a clutch member slidable on said shaft to and from said bearing block, a pair of yokes or levers straddling the; bearing block and fulcrumed thereon, and means enabling said "yokes or levers to slide said'memberinto clutch by swinging them in opposite directions.

3. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a clutch member slidably mounted thereon, a bearing block sustained from a shaft support away from said clutch member, said block being outwardly fiat-surfaced and of substantially rectangular outline, a pair of yokes or levers straddling the block and having their ends or forks flattened to bear evenly on its opposite surfaces and against one another, said yokes or levers having a common pivotal connection with the bearing block, means for swinging the yokes or levers oppositely one to the other and means adapting them to slide the said member into clutch or release it therefrom according to the direction in which they are moved.

4.. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a clutch member slidable thereon, a bearing block sustained from a shaft support, a pair of yokes or levers fulcrumed on said bearing block and adapted to slide said member into clutch, and a double acting screw connecting said yokes or levers together so as to control their respective movements.

5. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a bearing block sustained from a shaft support, a clutch member slidable on the shaft away from said bearing block, a pair of yokes or levers fulcrumed on the bearing block and adapted to drive said member into clutch, said yokes or members having oppositely located stems, a screw having right and left threads engaged by corresponding threads in said stems respectively, and means for turning said screw in either direction.

6. In a clutch operating mechanism, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a clutch member slidable thereon, a bearing block sustained from a shaft support, a pair of yokes or levers pivotally attached to and straddling said block and adapted to slide said member into clutch away therefrom, said yokes or levers having oppositely located stems, bushings immovably seated in said stems one for each yoke or lever, a right and left screw engaging said bushings, and screw-actuating means, including a bar rigidly secured to the screw and adjustable thereon in any desired position.

Signed at New York city, N. Y., in the county and State of New York, this 12th day of June, 1912.

GUSTAV PERS IVERN.

Witnesses LEWIS J. Doomrrrn, Lou-ELI a F. LrrrL-E.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washingtoml). 6." 

